By all means, let's stop thinking about things and just act. Make a decision and stick with it. That's what it's all about right? We could still be in Vietnam. We could still be denying African Americans and women the right to vote. Hell, we could still be burning witches!
When bills go to Congress they don't consist of a piece of paper saying "Sign here if you love the troops. Don't sign if you hate the troops." In fact, they're pretty damn complicated. They are also often accompanied by "pork", which covers a wide range of unrelated bullshit, stipulations, and budget-killers intended to help the people who wrote the bill in their jurisdictions and/or personal causes. Unfortunately, this pork can often make an otherwise non-partisan bill rather sticky. Similarly, if a giant bill that is be fundamentally flawed appropriates $100,000 to the treatment of sick puppies, anyone who votes it down suddenly hates baby animals. Of course when the opposition party needs to make you look like a bad guy, they'll pull out this fact and fail to mention that it was only a tiny piece of a bill that addressed other much larger and more partisan issues.
"The claim that Kerry voted against body armor is based similarly on Kerry's vote last year against an $87 billion emergency supplemental appropriation bill to finance military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It included $300 million for the latest, ceramic-plate type of body armor for troops who had been sent to war without it. The body-armor funds amounted to about 1/3 of one percent of the total." (FactCheck.org)
Really there are two issues here. One is that Kerry never changed his mind about supporting our troops and keeping them safe - the GOP has just extracted the puppy clause of an otherwise bad bill to make him look unpatriotic. Flip-flopping, the term the GOP has decided to use to describe Kerry because so many of their constituents don't know the meaning of "indecisive", is highly inaccurate. Rather, John Kerry has decided to make decisions based on reason and his personal assessment of each issue - even if to the public eye these decisions don't always make sense. I respect this a great deal.
The second issue is that even if John Kerry *did* change his mind, there's nothing wrong with that. I don't want a stubborn cowboy for a President. As the ultimate economic, political, and military force in the world we need to temper our passions and reevaluate our position in the world on a regular basis. What was right two decades, two years, or even two months ago might not be right anymore. I *want* a leader who will adapt to change, public opinion, and the dangers we face in the global community; I don't want a leader who goes all in on with a 2 Queen because he's got a gut feeling. The fact that W is sitting there with the biggest pile of chips doesn't mean he should bully the other players off the table - we aren't playing poker. We don't want to be alone in the end.
What do you think would happen if we let everyone affected by the United States to the N-th degree (pick a degree, any degree) cast a vote in this coming election? I have a feeling the results would be absolutely staggering. Once you remove patriotism (Love of and devotion to one's country - not one's President), the conservative guilt trip being laid on everyone in this country who isn't supporting Bush, and typical CYA behavior, I am absolutely positive that this would be a landslide election, and Bush would be buried under the rubble.
I found out a few days ago that my ex-boyfriend and ex-good friend got together for a few months. This would be fairly blah information except that they were interested in eachother while my ex and I were still dating. We had basically seperated for a month and my ex had told me to wait for him while he tried to get his shit together. So I'm waiting, but then come to find out that he and my former friend are getting emotionally attached via e-mail. She's in LA, he's at Oregon State, and they are already talking about spending time together the coming summer. I freak the fuck out. TOTALLY FREAK. But instead of doing the logical thing, which was officially end the relationship (which had never been that good), I succumb to an insane streak of jealousy and take my ex back, thereby eliminating the chance for he and my good friend to hook up. I went 100% through the roof on her and sent the most scathing and poetic e-mail of my lifetime, but because I'm an oddball we somehow remained kind-of friends. A year later she broke off the relationship because I was too much of a feminist; needless to say, this was a weird reason.
When my ex and I broke up, over two years ago, I came to find out that he was back in communication with my former friend. No surprise really, since they obviously had some serious interest in one another, but kind of weird nonetheless. Anyhow, just a few days ago I find my ex's live journal, then I find his sister's, and then I see this former friend on her "buddy list". Honestly, I have nearly forgotten that this girl exists, but there is her handle! The same one she used freshman year of college. Anyhow, I go to her live journal and start poking around to find that after finishing at USC she MOVED TO PORTLAND to be with my ex. Apparently they dated for a few months, it went poorly, undoubtedly caused much weeiping and gnashing of teeth, and then ended. Now she's back in the midwest where she belongs and she aches for Portland and blah blah blah.
After adjusting to all of this information and getting over my initial disgust/anger/distress, I honestly feel a little bit vindicated. I know that might seem terrible, but I think back to the pain they put me through and the consistantly bad treatment I received from my ex for 3.5 years and I can't help but think this ultimately painful situation they shared was deserved. I never wished anything bad on either of them, but then again I guess I didn't need to.
As a side note, I found an entry in my ex's live journal from long ago that says (in reference to the cat we got together who is now mine) "Her evil mother is having her fingers cut off and then skipping town." There was a note in smaller type at the bottom saying I'm not that evil. :)
The state-funded highway signs around here *crack me up*. Here is a sampling, I know there is at least one more that is pretty damn funny, but I can't remember it. Feel free to add on if you know of more.
"It's your nickel, watch it work"
"Click-it or Ticket"
"Litter and it will hurt"
Maybe it's just me and my incomprehensible sense of humor, but these make me laugh every time I see them. I guess when you have to gear something to the lowest common denominator then rythmes, silly threats and terms like nickel (vs. tax dollars) make sense.
I also like the 739-HERO number they use to try and convince people to snitch on cheaters in the carpool lane.
Nick and I have been talking about moving in together. I know it's not quite 7 months yet, but I think we're ready for it. Granted, we wouldn't want to leap into something like this without significant thought, but we've talked a lot and are seriously considering taking this big step in the next few months. Does that seem reasonable at this point in our relationship?
This is the story all about how
My life got flip-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell ya' how I became the prince of a town called Bel-aire
West Philadelphia, born and raised
on the playground is where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out, maxin', realaxin', all coolin'
Shootin' some b-ball outside of the school
When a couple of guys, they were up to no good
Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared
She said "you're movin' with your auntie and your uncle in Bel-aire"
I whistled for a cab and when it came near
I saw the license plate said fresh and there were dice in the mirror
If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought, "nah, forget it. Yo, home, to Bel-aire"
I pulled up to house around seven or eight and
I yelled to the cabbie "Yo, hommie, smell you later!"
I looked at my kingdom, I was finally there,
To sit on my throne as the prince of Bel-aire
___________________________________________________
That was all from memory - I have never looked up the lyrics. I think what this shows is that my freshness has clearly seen better days and now that Fresh Prince - a comedy to which I can sing the entire introductory rap - is on Nick-at-Nite, I am officially old.
than one baby rat is two, right?
The new one named herself sneaker. She's small and fast and slippery. The first time I had her out she leapt off the back of the couch - somewhat unusual behavior for a rat. Nick is a bit afraid to hold her since he's worried he'll squish her if he has to grab her as she scampers away. I think she'll relax thoughl; she's very young right now.
One of these days Nick will learn not to leave me home alone. :) His last two Magic expeditions have results in one rat each. When he comes back from Japan he might just find my kitty.
Rat: $3.50
Cage, food, accesories: $131.50
Vet bill because the $3.50 rat we've had for four days is acting weird: $86
Having a little tiny soft creature fall asleep in your shirt: Priceless
I got paid $45 to play Bookworm this morning.
220,000 points and a burning bookcase later I have decided to post weblog entries instead. So now I'm getting paid for this . . .
Whee!
I am usually very unimpressed by other peoples' senses of smell because mine is so accute, but there is one location where everyone - right down to my smell challenged boyfriend - knows the aroma. My car.
Smell is the most potent force for resurrecting memories (music is the next most powerful), and I think it makes sense that a scent we experience all through childhood would generate such a strong and determined response. What's funny is that the actual thing that everyone thinks they smell is nowhere to be found . . . crayons.
Most likely some component in my "leatherette" seats and something in diesel are combining to make this sneaky crayon smell - either that or one or both just has an identical ingredient. It's sort of a sweet, waxy fragrance. Any ideas? I may have to investigate.
Baby rat! Nick and I came to a satisfactory compromise on the pet situation - or former lack thereof - and are now the proud owners of one baby female albino rat. She's already happy to be held (currently sleeping in the built-in bra in my shirt) and seems to be happy with her gigantic cage. I'm contemplating a second since the cage is so big and they are so freaking cute, but I want her to depend on us for companionship. So, Kara is very happy. Nick also loves her - he didn't know he was an animal person because he never had any pets, but he really likes them, and they like him back.
Any ideas for names? It took months for Ben and I to name my cat, Bailey . . . she was "kitten" for a long time. The point of that being that I'm willing to wait until a name sticks, but sooner is still better than later.
Whee!
I love the news.
More specifically, I love the weather reports/packages - here's why:
There is absolutely no reason that Weatherperson X needs to be standing in the middle of a hurricane, or a snow storm, or a flood, or any other miserable and dangerous weather condition. They are not imparting any more information than if they were sitting in the studio saying "crazy ass wind and rain is whipping Florida's butt." But news producers know that Americans have an attention span of approximately 11 seconds (no, I don't know the real stat, but it's still short) so if you want to keep them tuned in you have to get your cameras out of the studio. So they solve the problem by making their weatherpeople - three of them if we're talking about CNN - stand in the rain and 90mph winds for 8 straight hours. One of the CNN reporters last night was in the middle of the parking lot, nearly falling over for the wind, and constantly stopping his commentary to try and figure out where the screeching scooting metal sounds were coming from. It was pitch black except for the camera light and he didn't want to get plowed by the impossible-to-see piece of someone's roof that was inhabiting the parking lot with him.
Funny stuff.
Nick left Tuesday for the Nerd Olympics (thank you, Marc, I liked that one) and I've been left to my own devices. It's interesting what happens when typically dedicated-to-a-fault people suddenly have time on their hands and can't find a reason to go home. When Nick is around I want to be with him - that's just the kind of person I am. My mom has always called my boyfriend my "buddy", which grosses me out, but the more I think about it the more I feel it's an appropriate term. I'm a bit like a golden retriever or a Ragdoll cat . . . I like to breathe the same air as Nick and just generally share the same psychological space.
But getting back to the point, now that I don't have someone to hang out with I've had to entertain myself - something I have always been very good at, even though I don't have to do it too often. So here's what I've done . . .
-Almost bought a dozen different pets . . . I was especially into the tube rats and the cockatoo. Nick will be tube rat (ferret) tested as soon as he gets home; apparently ferrets don't set off most cat-allergic people's allergies. The babies are so freaking cute. I also LOVED the cockatoo I got to play with, but fortunately it was $1300 and therefore thoroughly out of my reach.
-Received a horrendous massage by someone who was certainly not an LMP, didn't speak much English, and who left me totally naked on the table (which had no head attachment) sans sheet to crawl under. She worked almost no muscles, hurt me a number of times, and provided no relaxation at all since I spent the hour thinking about my too-well-ventilated ass. When she finally left me to get dressed I was thinking "she's out there telling her family that I have the biggest hind quiarters she'd ever seen", and she did see a lot of it. The only redeeming moment was after the massage when she started my pedicure and said she loved my body, and specifically gestured to her own hips and butt indicating that she much preferred my shape. It was a very awkward moment, but very enlightening as well. It's nice to get some perspective forced on me from time to time.
-Sat through a decent pedicure while a guy swept flooring dust and acrylic particles into the air, creating an oh-so-relaxing cloud of nastiness.
-Struck a deal with the Bikram's yoga studio in Park Place Center (a nice strip mall near my office) in which I clean after class twice a week (it only takes 25 minutes) for unlimited yoga (usually $100/month). I've gone twice and I'm insanely sore; I couldn't be happier about it.
-Wallowed in my own filth until about an hour ago when I decided enough was enough and had a little clean-fest.
-Contemplated working myself into a mood and taking care of the still-unpacked-semi-disaster that is one side of our garage. I came to my senses on that one.
-Bought SIZE TWELVE pants. Dear God.
-Ate a lot of cereal.
-Watched a lot of bad TV.
-Almost always took my shoes off on the carpet, even though Nick wasn't here. :)
Exciting, eh?
